Shoe-ironing device.



0. ASHTON.

SHOE IRONING DEVICE.

APPLICATION rum) 11.5, 1912.

Patented Dec.31, 1912.

Fig. l.

//v VEA/7Z7Q.

Fig.4. 4

VV/T/VESSES. fwd. flM 2 U TE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ORRELL ASHTON, 0F SWAIVIPSCOTT, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 UNITED SHOEMACHINERY COMPANY, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SHOE-IRONING DEVICE.

Original application filed December 14, 1910, Serial No. 597,190.

Specification of Letters Patent.

1912. Serial No. 688,810.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ORRELL AsirroN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Swampscott, in the county of Essex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Shoe-Ironing Devices, of which the following description, in connection with theaccompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters onthe drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to machines for use in the manufacture of bootsand shoes and more particularly to a machine for use in shaping andironing the uppers of turn shoes to bring the upper into conformity withthe shape of the last. This work has heretofore been done largely byironing tools heated by gas flames and other outside sources of heat andalso by friction devices engaging the outer face of the tool.

An object of the present invention is to provide a machine having atool, which may, for example, be adapted to treat the body portion ofthe upper on the top and sides of the last and also to extend into thecrease between the upper and the projecting edge of the sole, which isheated from an internally arranged device, the tool in this instancebeing stationary and the friction device being driven. The frictiondevice comprises a rotating shaft or stem upon which is supported one ormore friction blocks of asbestos, or other suitable material havingsimilar characteristics, which are turned by the shaft within the tooland are free to press outwardly against the internal face of the blocksby centrifugal force. Weights loosely interposed between the frictionblocks and the shaft determine the pressure with which the blocks willbe forced outwardly against the ironing block as the shaft is rotated.

A further feature associated with this con struction is found in novelmeans for regulating the temperature to which the ironing block will beraised by the action of this heating device. This is embodied in a fan,comprising blades mounted on the shaft that supports the frictionblocks, which suck through the ironing block a current of air. Forregulating the extent of this action the outer end face of the ironingblock is provided with openings over which is adjustable a slide to varythe amount of cool air which may be admitted.

Conveniently a thermometer may be associated with the tool to show tothe operator the condition of the block at all times and thus enable himto increase or decrease the temperature of the tool.

The several features of the invention will be more fully understood fromthe following description of the machine and the invention will then bepointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus; Fig. 2 is a perspectiveof the heater; Fig. 3 is a cross section of the ironing tool and theheater; and Fig. 4 illustrates the arrangement for regulating thetemperature to which the ironing tool will be heated.

The machine in which the present invention is more conveniently embodiedis adapted especially for performing the shaping operations required ona shoe to bring it into conformity with the last and is fully shown anddescribed in my co-pending application, Ser. No. 597,190, of whichapplication the present application is a division althdiigh it can beused as an inclependent machine.

The machine includes a shaft 2 journalcd in a sleeve 3 in the frame 7 ofthe' machine which in this embodiment is connected to a rotating shaft4, driving other tools for operating on the shoe, by a twisted resilientsteel strip 5 constituting a non-positive connection between the twoshafts. The shaft 2 extends into an ironing block 8 and it may be alsoextended into a second ironing block 10 of different contour than theblock 8. The block 8, which is rigid with the shaft bearing 3 has acylindrical opening concentric with the shaft and the portion of theshaft which is within the block 8 carries a cage formed by the parallelplates 12 rigidly attached to a rectangular section 14 of the shaft andforming on the upper and lower sides of the shaft, as it is shown inFigs. 2 and 3, guideways for friction blocks 15 each of which ispreferably made of asbestos and is loose enough in its guideways to bepressed outwardly by centrifugal force into contact with the inner faceof the block 8 when the shaft 2 is rotating. The degree or the amount offriction and therefore the degree of heat developed in the ironing block8 is regulated by one or more Weights in form of plates 18 loose in theguideway between the block 15 and the shaft. The construction of theseparts is such, as clearly appears in Fig. 3, as to provide an air spaceor channel on the opposite side of the plates 12 and the shaft 2 isextended beyond said plates and provided with vanes or blades 20 adaptedto fan the air through said spaces, and toward other parts of themachine. The block 8 may have outlet openings as at 21 and said block orthe block 10, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, has inlet openings 22 throughwhich cool air is taken in by the fan and caused to absorb heat from theironing block 8 for reducing the temperature of that block when it istoo hot. A circularly moving slide having a handle 24 is pivoted on theend of the ironing block and has holes which may be brought into anydegree of register with the holes 22 for regulating the admission ofcool air. I

A thermometer 26 may be arranged in position to indicate to the operatorthe temperature of the ironing block.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A shoe shaping machine having, in combination, an ironing device andmeans for heating said device comprising a block arranged for rotationwithin said device and mounted for outward pressure by centrifm galforce against a face of said device during rotation.

2. A shoe shaping machine having, in

combination, an ironing device and a shaft provided with eccentricallymoiinted friction elements held outward by centrifugal force against aninternal wall of said device during rotation of the shaft to heat theironing device. 3. A shoe shaping machine having, in combination, astationary ironing block having a shaped work smoothing external faceand a cylindrical opening, a shaft arranged concentrically with relationto said opening, friction members connected eccentrically to the shaftand arranged within said opening to be pressed against said block bycentrifugal force when the shaft is rotated.

4. A shoe shaping machine having, in combination, an ironing device anda heater therefor comprising a shaft provided with a cage, frictionblocks within the cage arranged for outward pressure by centrifugalforce against an internal wall of the ironing Copies of this patent maybe obtained for five cents each, by addressing the device, and weightsalso confined within the cage arranged for varying the outward pressureof the friction blocks.

5. A shoe shaping machine having, in

combination, a non-rotary ironing device having a shaped upper smoothingface and a cylindrical chamber, a driven shaft having a cage within saidchamber, and asbestos blocks in said cage arranged to be pressedoutwardly into frictional rubbing engagement with the walls of saidchamber to heat said ironing device.

6. A shoe shaping machine having, in combination, an ironing. devicehaving a metallic lined cylindrical chamber and a driven shaft carryingan eccentrically mounted block of asbestos which is pressed outwardlyinto frictional rubbing engagement withthe metallic wall of said chamberby centrifugal force as the shaft is turned.

7. A shoe shaping machine having, in combination, the ironing block 63the shaft having the cage 68 turning within said ironing block, and theasbestos friction blocks and removable weight plates 72 carried by thecage and pressed outwardly by centrifugal force against the ironingblock to heat it as the shaft is rotated.

8. A shoe shaping machine having, in combination, an ironing devicehaving an opening therethrough,. means for heating said device,continuously running mechanism for operating the heating means, a fanadapted to blow air through'said opening to cool the ironing device andmeans to regulate the admission of air.

9. A shoe shaping machine having, in combination, an ironing devicehaving a cylindrical chamber, a centrifugal friction heater mounted insaid chamber and a fan to produce a circulation of air relatively to theironing device, substantially as described.

10. A shoe shaping machine having, in combination, an ironing devicehaving a cylindrical chamber, a centrifugal friction heater mounted insaid chamber, a fan turningwith said heater and arranged to blow airthrough the ironing device, and means for regulating the admission ofair to the fan.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

ORRELL ASHTON.

Witnesses:

CHESTER E. Rooms, MABEL A. Swn'r'r.

Commissioner of Patents,

- Washington, D. C.

